Putting the humane back in human
How do we place a value on a human life or their personal experience? Every person is a deeply rooted individual with a unique character impacting the world they participate in. We define a worthy person as being honorable or admirable; having merit or value. What does this mean and how do we recognize it in our field? How do we define a person’s value to human society or human potential?
A good starting place is in understanding the mediator’s greatest pit fall. This is projecting our intentions on the behavior and view of others and calling ourselves objective. We must learn to see ourselves and how we see others. Finding what worthy looks like is dependent upon our ability to determine if what we are looking at is reality or principle-based or if it is a function of conditioning and conditions. The mediator uses its endowments of self-awareness, conscience, imagination, and independent will to act on that awareness; making promises, setting goals or limitations, acting with courage and strength, sharing empathy, uplifting others and being true to our integrity; leading by example.
If we value communication, teamwork, and cooperation, then worthy will appear interdependent or seek interdependence. Interdependence is a very mature concept where greater accomplishment comes from interaction, access to vaster resources and the potential of others or all people. An interdependent person or situation will present an opportunity to share meaningfully and doing so is a choice only independent individuals (participants) can make.
A participant in exopolitical mediation will not always present a physical asset, but it will bring a human asset. This is what the mediator continually evaluates. The human asset is an evolutionary matrix with revolutionary net effect on the human paradigm. The human asset will have a uniquely modified nature, set of values, and an unusual contribution capacity. These characteristics display a unique sense of identity in an individual. Integrity, and self-control is usually pointedly adhered to and trust-based relationships are not an option but a requirement.
The contribution of the worthy will be an influence or influx of profound internalized-growth in consciousness, imagination, and human-will through their presence. It is through that deep contact with our basic paradigms; the values and the vision of what we can become that we discover the degree of worthiness we have encountered. This understanding, gained through interdependent interaction is a time-consuming endeavor made gradually not quickly. A mutually beneficial relationship is built together, endearing their participation and receiving the mediator’s strength and confidence in return. This activity elevates all lives involved and builds bridges where few existed before by the teamwork of conscious endeavor. In the words of Thomas Paine, “That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only which gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price on its goods.”
Stephen R Covey on Synergy
Exopolitical mediation is about creating synergy. It is an effort to open the minds, hearts, and expressions of the people to new alternatives in the human experience. It presents us with new options to avoid the great tradgedies and wastes in life by tapping the potential in humanity which usually remains undeveloped and unused.
Stephen wrote in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change" the following thoughts on synergy:
…it catalyzes, unifies, and unleashes the greatest powers within people…simply defined it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts….The creative process is the most terrifying part [of synergy] because you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen or where it is going to lead. You don’t know what new dangers and challenges you’ll find. It takes an enormous amount of internal security to begin with the spirit of adventure, the spirit of discovery, the spirit of creativity. Without a doubt, you have to leave the comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and unknown wilderness. You become a trailblazer, a pathfinder. You open new possibilities, new territories, new continents, so that others can follow.
Synergy is everywhere in nature. If you plant tow plants close together, the roots comingle and improve the quality of the soil so that both plants will grow better than if they were separated. If you put two pieces of wood together, they will hold much more than the total of the weight held by each separately. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one equals three or more.
The challenge is to apply the principles of creative cooperation, which we learn from nature, in our social interactions….The essence of synergy is to value differences – to respect them, to build on strengths, to compensate for weakness. Synergy can create a new script for the next generation – one that is more geared to service and contribution, and is less protective, less adversarial, less selfish; one that is more open, trusting, more giving, and is less defensive, protective, and political; one that is more loving, more caring, and is less possessive and judgemental.
